Moscow — Russia has formally lifted its self-imposed moratorium on deploying ground-based intermediate- and shorter-range nuclear-capable missiles, a move that effectively resurrects a Cold War–era threat and signals a new era of strategic confrontation with the West.
Russian officials confirmed that as of August 4, the moratorium no longer holds, clearing the path for Moscow to station INF-class missiles, with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers, along its western and southern frontiers. The weapons were previously banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, from which the United States withdrew in 2019 under the Trump administration.
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova declared that the evolving security landscape has rendered the moratorium obsolete. “The deployment of US and NATO intermediate-range missile systems in Europe and the Asia-Pacific has eliminated the rationale for our unilateral restraint,” she said.
The decision marks a stark shift in Russia’s military posture. With NATO expanding and US forces participating in joint exercises in Eastern Europe and the Indo-Pacific, the Kremlin is reasserting its right to symmetrical countermeasures. Officials said that the deployment of such missiles would be concentrated near Russia’s western border, likely encompassing Belarus and the Kaliningrad enclave, both within striking distance of NATO capitals.
Deputy chairman of Russia’s security council Dmitry Medvedev, once the country’s president, described the moratorium’s end as a “new reality” the West must confront. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), he warned that further actions could follow if Washington continues its “provocative deployments” of systems like the Typhon and Dark Eagle in NATO territories.
Analysts suggest that Russia may soon deploy its newly developed “Oreshnik” hypersonic missiles, capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, into forward positions across the Eurasian theater. The reintroduction of INF-class missiles into the European theater significantly increases the likelihood of miscalculation, particularly given the speed and difficulty of intercepting such weapons.
The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 between the Soviet Union and the United States, was a cornerstone of arms control during the Cold War. Its collapse, first through the US withdrawal and now with Russia abandoning restraint, leaves Europe vulnerable to the very class of weapons that once threatened its survival. The New START treaty, set to expire in February 2026, is now the only remaining bilateral nuclear accord between Moscow and Washington.
US officials have yet to respond directly to Russia’s latest announcement. However, military movements suggest growing anxiety in Washington: nuclear-capable submarines have been repositioned in the Atlantic, and NATO has reinforced its eastern flank with additional missile defense systems in Poland, Romania, and the Baltic.
The move also comes amid heightened tensions over the Russian military operation in Ukraine, where Moscow continues to resist Western sanctions and military pressure. Some experts warn that the deployment of INF-class missiles could be leveraged to coerce NATO into backing off its support for Kyiv, a geopolitical gamble with global consequences.
According to Mehr News Agency, Russian authorities justified the moratorium’s termination by pointing to Western violations of previous norms and growing security threats to Russia’s territorial integrity. Noted.
